Part 4: Tips for Fitbit Weight Loss Success

[SebringDon]

Table of Contents

Part 1: Fitbit Food Plan Basics

Part 2: Fitbit's Food Plan In-Depth

Part 3: Fitbit's Food Plan Tracking Tools

Part 4: Tips for Fitbit Weight Loss Success

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Tips for Fitbit Weight Loss Success

The first key to success is sensible eating. Learn a little about the difference between carbohydrates, fats and proteins and how those three macronutrients should be balanced. There are many different approaches, and you'll want to find the one that works for you.

Secondly, everybody is a little different. The Food Plan is dead-on for my metabolism, but it may not be for yours. Watch your results for a week or two, and if you find you're losing weight faster than you expected based on the plan, either adjust your plan downward to the next easier level or eat a little more than the plan allows. If you're losing weight slower than expected, either notch your plan up a level or leave some calories on the Daily Calorie Estimate each day. After a few weeks you'll find the right combination to consistently hit your weight loss target.

Next, step away from the junk food. I discovered very quickly that if I kept filling up with empty calories like carbonated drinks, fatty processed foods, alcohol, candy and other sweets, I was hungry all the time if I tried to stay on my budget. After I started shifting my diet to more nutritous foods, I found I was rarely hungry, sometimes left food on the plate, and had far more energy to spend burning activity calories, which meant I had even more to eat. It was a positive circle to be trapped in, rather than the negative one I experienced with unhealthy foods.

One thing to remember is that proteins and carbs contain about 4 calories per gram, while fat contains about 9 calories per gram. That means that ounce for ounce, an ounce of fat takes more than twice as long to work off as an ounce of protein or carbs. Something to keep in mind when you're reaching for that candy bar. (ETA: As @Dominique pointed out in a comment, alcohol, at 7 calories per gram, and with almost no nutritional value, is also well worth keeping in mind.)

Another tip concerns the ever-popular "cheat" days or meals. My advice: Don't. One day of cheating can mean a week or more of healthy eating to make up for it. Instead, I practice what I call "earning my cheats." If I want to take my wife out to dinner, or munch down on a pizza one evening, I start early in the day working to burn off enough activity calories that I can properly log whatever I'm planning to eat that evening and still stay within my deficit budget. I recently spent a weekend at an RV show, munching on midway vendor food during the day, including a corn dog, and feasted on pizza one night and dinner at Outback the next. But I kept my feet moving, hard, both days, and ended both days within budget. It can be done, and the long-term benefits are worth it. I may not have eaten the healthiest foods those days, but neither did I overeat a bunch of calories that ended up on my waistline.

My final tip is a nicer one. Some days you'll find it getting late in the day with a lot of calories left to eat. I'm not a fan of eating much at night, so I'll occasionally log something I don't eat on one day and leave myself a "gift card" allowing me to eat that food the next day without logging it. I don't do it for garbage, though. Generally I leave myself something like a banana or a protein bar. I find it a nice way to reward myself occasionally for not eating all I'm allowed, and over the two days it evens out in total calories consumed anyway.

Well, that's it; Fitbit's Food Plan, Demystified. There's still a lot to be learned about logging food and activities, but you've got the basics for how to set up and maintain a healthy weight loss program using your Fitbit and the Fitbit Dashboard.

Happy Fitbittin'!

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Table of Contents

Part 1: Fitbit Food Plan Basics

Part 2: Fitbit's Food Plan In-Depth

Part 3: Fitbit's Food Plan Tracking Tools

Part 4: Tips for Fitbit Weight Loss Success

[gypsyshewolf]

Great Job , Now I know .

[ShirleyE]

I apologize if you answered this already and I missed it. 

Should I be in my "Goal Zone" all day to lose weight?  Or should I just focus on ending the day in the Goal Zone?

[Lungomare]

I have read and reread this information which is helpful, if quite complicated! I have had my Charge 2 fit it since the end of July and in the first month, I happily lost 3.5kg. Since then, nothing. I haven’t cheated, I am nearly always under the calorie target and I generally eat 1400 calories a day with a BMR of 1750. I am in my late fifties and exercise moderately, always 6000 plus steps a day and I have a lot more weight to lose. What am I doing wrong? I have lost no weight for a month or more and am now starting to gain. I just don’t get it.

[Colinm39]

@LungomareI'm a couple of decades past you and after some research I firmly believe our body acclimatizes to our weight changes and plateaus like you have posted.. I'm into my umpteenth plateau.... and about 7.000 steps/day average.

If you examine this link for "metabolic set point", there is plenty there..

My BMR is 1608 and I understand how difficult it is to trick our bodies..

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@Lungomare wrote:

I have read and reread this information which is helpful, if quite complicated! I have had my Charge 2 fit it since the end of July and in the first month, I happily lost 3.5kg. Since then, nothing. I haven’t cheated, I am nearly always under the calorie target and I generally eat 1400 calories a day with a BMR of 1750. I am in my late fifties and exercise moderately, always 6000 plus steps a day and I have a lot more weight to lose. What am I doing wrong? I have lost no weight for a month or more and am now starting to gain. I just don’t get it.

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[Lungomare]

Thanks @Colinm39 appreciate you thoughts and support, am determined to keep going, I just thought as I have another 20kg to lose, I wouldn’t plateau just yet! Will see how it goes and maybe increase the exercise. Fingers crossed!

[Colinm39]

@Lungomare  Keep at it.. I was 102kg in 2009 but more active and my body shape was different then...more muscle..

I'm now 91 kg with another 10 kg to lose..This would put me just 3kg above my National Service weight.. My health is ok and the GP isn't concerned. but he would like me to be sensible in losing some more weight..  My late GP wasn't into diets etc... he would just say, "each 20% less".... but you're already close the the minimum intake so upping your activities is the way to go...If walking is your thing I would be adding inclines to that... See this link.. I'm experimenting ... More effort in less time..

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@Lungomare wrote:

Thanks @Colinm39 appreciate you thoughts and support, am determined to keep going, I just thought as I have another 20kg to lose, I wouldn’t plateau just yet! Will see how it goes and maybe increase the exercise. Fingers crossed!

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[LanuzaFitbit]

Hey @Colinm39. Welcome to the Forums @Lungomare.

@Lungomare Maybe you could look into posting in one our Manage Weight board. Maybe there are some users there that can help you understand what is happening and find a way to keep going.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

[Benjo60]

A well delivered explanation of the thinking behind the fitbit weight management process. Thanks much.